The Rise and Fall of Armitage Hux and the Ghosts from the Force
by ashangel101010
Summary: Sequel to the "Death Night" story. Exactly a week after the political ball, Armitage Hux gets a comm from Prince Amidala. The Prince has told him that he's being held captive by a Battle Hydra on Yavin 4. Immediately, Armitage leaves the Academy to go and rescue his Prince. All the while, a bunch of Force Ghosts watch. Like the goblins that they are.


The Rise and Fall of Armitage Hux and the Ghosts from the Force

* * *

Suggested Theme:

Main Theme- Ceremony by Joy Division

* * *

Armitage Hux is sleeping fitfully in his tiny bunk in his tiny room in the tiny Academy. For the fifth night in a row. It's not because his bunkmate is snoring again. It's not because the blanket is too thin and the room far too cold. It's not because of the speech he has to give tomorrow in Speech class. It's not because the nature of his speech borders on blasphemy because it's about Jedi Master Rohlan Hoth, and not Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. It's also not because he listened to the Christopher Lee and Rhapsody duet right before bed. Again.

No, he's been this way since Death Night. Since he met Prince Amidala.

He's been dying to hear from the Prince again. He would call, but he's afraid that he'll catch the Prince at a bad time. _He's also a Jedi, for some reason. Then again, he's the nephew of Luke Skywalker! The grandson of the Darth Vader! Of course, he'd be strong with the Force. But he didn't say a word about being a Jedi. In fact, he seemed quite content being a Naboo's Prince. Or pretending to be._

Armitage rolls onto his belly and pulls out his private comlink from his pillow. He stares at it, hoping that it somehow transmits his eagerness to the Prince. _Come on, call me. Please. I just want to hear your voice again. You're the only friend I ever had—_

His comlink chimes like an Angel's laugh. He immediately sprints out of his bunk and heads for the tiny closet; he locks it shut and finally answers his comlink.

 _"_ _Armitage, are you there?"_ His heart sinks at the terrified tone in the Prince's voice. _Oh Force, he didn't call earlier because he's in trouble!_

"Yes, Prince Amidala, do you need help?" He reins in his panic; it wouldn't do either of them any good if they were both scared.

" _Oh yes I do! I've been held hostage by this evil Battle Hydra on Yavin 4 for nearly a week now. I've only been able to contact you now because I've finally got away—"_ Armitage hears a guttural rumble like a thunderous earthquake, and then he hears a whimper.

"Prince?" He asks with his heart hammering in his chest.

 _"_ _Oh no! It's found me! Help me, Armitage Hux, you're my only hope!"_ His eyes widen as he hears a scream before the comlink lapses into deathly silence. In a flash, Armitage changes into his combat training clothes, a lightly-armored, long-sleeved black shirt and black combat pants with black combat boots.

He pockets his comlink and sprints out of the closet and out of his room. He runs like the nimble jack that he is and heads for the Commandant's office. Armitage knows full well that the Commandant likes to work as long as he can until he's on the verge from passing out from sleep deprivation. The Commandant told him, when Armitage first got to the Academy, it was the only way to keep his nightmares away.

"Are you desperate for a late-night sparring session?" The Commandant starts but then looks his dragonling up and down. Armitage is slightly shaking and his eyes are blown with animalistic fear. _Either Prince Amidala is in trouble or Jaina is in trouble. Again._

"I need the ship and clearance to leave." The ship in question is a _Vanya_ -class Jedi courier. Armitage isn't sure how or where the Commandant procured a _Jedi_ ship, but it's considered a family heirloom. Which hopefully the Commandant will give him when he's a man. Whatever that means.

"Done. Remember, I'm not going to cover your absences. Oh, and if you don't comm me within 24 hours, I'll presume the worst and come after you." The Commandant gave his usual reminder whenever his dragonling had to go hero-ing. He tosses the keys to the _Queen Izrina_ to Armitage who catches it and sprints out of his office.

"May the Force be with you, dragonling." The Commandant beseeches on his behalf.

* * *

Ben Solo estimates it will take approximately four hours before his Wistie arrives. His vision last night showed him his Wistie arriving in an ancient, black ship while everything was still dark out. His Wistie would come with his oddity of a sword and slay the _wicked_ dragon holding his dear friend captive!

Prince Amidala reaches out to stroke barely a centimeter of the Battle Hydra's massive flank. The mind-controlled, two-headed creature makes no sound at being stroked by his temporary master. _You shall be the Great Dragon and my Wistie will finally show me the ending to his story._

Except, there shall be no burning of his Armitage. No, at most, Ben will only permit a sprained wrist. He does not want his Wistie to be in so much pain.

Prince Amidala smiles cruelly and regally at the soon-to-be-sacrificed-Sith-spawned Battle Hydra. The wind picks up and takes some of the blueleaves off of the blueleaf shrubs.

 _My Grand Plan is in motion, and, by the end, I will have Armitage bound to me! Mind, body, and soul!_

* * *

 _Oh no! It's found me! Help me, Armitage Hux, you're my only hope!_ Anakin Skywalker is tempted to face-palm at his grandson's…..deception. But right now, he is more interested in this _Armitage Hux_ that his grandson is going to these ridiculous (creepy as Ahsoka would put it if she were here) lengths for.

Anakin thinks about going to Obi-Wan for information, but recalls that his Master is…. _visiting_ Satine. And Siri Tachi. And Bail and Breha Organa. And Cody. And Rex. And all of the 212th. And most of the 501st. And Jango Fett.

A wave of nausea hits Anakin when he remembers interrupting one of Obi-Wan's _visits_. And his face still goes red whenever someone even mentions _Sapir tea_.

So Anakin decides it would be best to visit Qui-Gon Jinn. His supposed-to-be-first Master is in the library; he's sitting cross-legged by the fireplace with his face buried in a book called _Le Morte Darthur_. And, much to his dismay, Qui-Gon is not alone. Dooku is sitting in the light-brown loveseat with Sifo-Dyas. Right across from the old friends is a regal red armchair occupied by none other than _Xanatos du Crion_ ; all of them have their regal faces in their books. Anakin hopes he can get Qui-Gon's attention without drawing Xanatos's.

"What is it, Fourth Child?" Xanatos's smug voice burns Anakin's hopes. However, it does get Qui-Gon's attention, but not the other two Masters. Dooku and Sifo-Dyas want nothing to do with whatever madness Obi-Wan's former padawan has conjured up this time.

"Oh, Anakin, what do you need?" Qui-Gon looks at him with a grin on his face. _How did such a nice man raise an asshole like Xanatos?_ Anakin wonders not for the first or last time.

"I need to know if you know anyone by the name of Armitage Hux. Ben's really….. _focused_ on him." Anakin words it delicately, knowing that Xanatos will twist his words at any second.

"You mean your future Dark Sider grandson, who will most likely murder all of his classmates in a couple of years, has found his own creepily pathetic obsession. He truly is following in his grandfather's footsteps!" Xanatos sneers at him. Anakin thinks about taking Xanatos's book and smashing it into his ring-shaped scarred cheek.

"Xanatos, be quiet." Qui-Gon chides him. Xanatos rolls his dark-blue eyes and returns to his book, _The Vampire Armand_.

"Armitage Hux. I haven't heard that name in almost…..eight years now." Qui-Gon's brilliant blue eyes take on a nostalgic twinkle. It takes a minute before the Grey Jedi pulls himself out of his reverie.

"Aslan, a stray lion cub that I raised a long time ago, came across Armitage. He found the boy in a cage, drawing in the dirt a birthday cake for himself. Aslan contacted me and asked if he should free the twiggy human child. I told him to listen to the Force." Anakin was about to say something, but Xanatos interjects.

"Please, tell me by _listen to the Force_ you meant go and rip out the throats of the kid's kidnappers." Anakin glares at Xanatos. Xanatos rolls his eyes and returns to his book.

"Aslan listened to the Force and tore the door to Armitage's cage wide open. The child crawled out of the cage but could barely walk; Aslan knelt before the child and let the child climb onto his back. Aslan carried him all through the night, while Armitage babbled into his wild mane." Qui-Gon smiles like he's replaying the night in his mind. Anakin shifts uncomfortable, wanting more details about Armitage Hux.

"What did he babble about?" _His favorite color? His home life? His family? His interest in a friend who is strong with the Force, a Skywalker, and might be a wee bit manipulative?_ Anakin smartly hold his tongue if only not to give Xanatos any more ammunition. Qui-Gon smiles warmly.

"Magic. Wizards. Witches. Knights. Dragons, especially dragons. Every now and again, he would exclaim, 'This is the best birthday ever!' Aslan sincerely wondered if the child went mad all things considered. Eventually, Armitage fell asleep on his back while chattering about the many iterations of Merlin." _Armitage likes magic and fairy folk. And dragons. So maybe my grandson being strong in the Force won't bother him since the Force is probably like magic to him!_ Anakin feels pretty confident in his grandson's chances in making a new friend.

"Aslan eventually came across a bearded man carrying a large sword and a cigarra case of….jellybeans? Jelly babies? It was some kind of candy. The bearded man thanked Aslan for bringing him his dragonling and gave him some…..candy in return. And then the bearded man cradled the sleeping child to his chest and left." Anakin waits a couple of seconds to see if there was more, but Qui-Gon returns to his book.

"Thanks for all that!" Anakin books out of the library to return to observing his grandson and Armitage Hux. Xanatos waits a full minute before shutting his book and following his former Master's fourth apprentice. Qui-Gon rolls his eyes and then closes his book to follow after Xanatos, knowing he's going to need to mediate between his two headstrong former padawans. Sifo-Dyas closes his _Iliad_ and decides to get involved in this madness.

Dooku makes no effort to follow after his friend or his legacy; he is far too absorbed in _Ringenes Herre_ to care.

* * *

The _Queen Izrina_ drops out of hyperspace in exactly four hours after Prince Amidala's comm. Armitage double-checks to make sure he has the cloak field generator on; the last thing he needs is to be arrested by some New Republic crony. He enters Yavin 4's atmosphere, hoping that no one planetside would notice. Or at least, he hopes that Luke Skywalker is too busy with training the new generation of Jedi. Armitage knows that any Skywalker could easily kick his ass when it came to piloting, and Jaina is proof of that.

He avoids the Unnh River area because he knows that the Great Temple, which is probably being used as Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy, is located somewhere near there if his memories about Battle of Yavin geography in his Geography class can be relied upon. He enters the Taurin Delta, which is downstream of the Unnh River and in the vividly green Val'Arnos Jungle, and searches for something scaly and, hopefully, not blue and green.

He is on the lookout for a Battle Hydra. He has never been more grateful for the ancient database aboard this ancient vessel; he has spent these past four hours memorizing what the database had to offer on Battle Hydras. He is specifically searching for a two-headed, leathery-winged, yellow-eyed, reptile with tail that has a poisonous stinger. _I'm pretty certain that this qualifies as a dragon instead of a reptile, but I guess the Old Republic Jedi decided otherwise._ Armitage finally spots the Battle Hydra on top of the cylindrical roof of an ancient temple.

The temple reminds Armitage of the giant ring toss toy he used to have back on Arkanis, except this temple is about 24 meters tall versus his 45 centimeter toy. But the temple has only two giant rings versus the seven colorful rings of his old toy. The bottom of the temple is a massive ring-like structure made of some kind of ancient, silver stone; the top of the temple is like the bottom ring but smaller and has an opening in the center of it. He can see blueleaf shrubs, literally blue leaves, inscribed over the pinkish obelisks keeping the temple upright.

The Battle Hydra is exactly how the database described one to be; it has two heads, leathery wings, yellow eyes, and a long-ass tail with wickedly hooked stinger. However, the database omitted the color of the dragon. _It's radioactive piss yellow with green swirls across it! How the Seven Sith Hells didn't anyone see this dragon snatch up the Prince? Is Luke Skywalker blind?!_ His mind than supplies a more worldly idea.

 _Or Luke Skywalker doesn't care. Why else would Prince Amidala call you instead of his perfect Jedi of an uncle? That's probably why he didn't tell you about being a Force-user at the ball! But why wouldn't the Last Jedi care about his nephew? Is it because the Prince would make a better politician than a Jedi? Or is it because the Prince is also of the Skywalker lineage and he's afraid that the Prince could end up like his grandfather? Oh Force, I would rather him being apathetic towards his nephew than fearing him. What was that stupid line that Mara told me that Yoda said? "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." That is so limited! Fear, anger, and hate can lead to many other emotions like love—_ Armitage's thought tangent is cut mercifully short when he finally sees the Prince.

The Prince is dressed in the standard attire for a Jedi Initiate. He has on a gray tunic, a dark leather belt over it, brown boots, and baggy, grey pants. A tuft of his thick, black hair is tied in a wilting braid at the back of his neck like a rat tail. Armitage's heart seizes when he sees that the Prince is under one massive, yellow foot of the dragon; the dragon's eyes seem unfocused, they weren't even scanning the forest for possible intruders on its domain, like it didn't care about whether or not about the life beneath its clawed foot.

He goes to land his still-cloaked ship on the ground right by the temple's entrance. He lowers the exit ramp and leaves his ship running, so he and the Prince can make a quick exit if everything doesn't go according to his plan. He grabs his weapon and leaves his ship.

He looks at the entrance and sees a thousand stone steps. He takes a deep breath with his weapon strapped to his back and begins his ascent.

 _No one will die today._ He vows to the Great Dragon.

* * *

Anakin is viewing his grandson from the confines of his own room. His room in the Force is exactly how it looked like back in the Temple. Back when he was Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight. It's cluttered with half-fixed droid parts, a journal on Darth Malgus and Eleena, and holos of Padmé, Luke, Leia, and Ben. He could make this room bigger, make this room as grand as the Theed Royal Palace Throne Room, but he doesn't. He likes this small room of his, this piece of his past life. And his room cannot fit an orgy unlike Obi-Wan's—

"Oh, Force, you walked in on that too? Made me want to take an acid bath all over again!" Anakin sighs. _The Force can create anything, but locks. Or a pfassking gag for Xanatos!_

"Xanatos, why are you here?" _To torment me_. Anakin is certain that is what Xanatos is here to do, but the infuriatingly beautiful and arrogant man will say otherwise.

"To be entertained. Also, I'm curious to see what this Armitage Hux looks like." _"And if he's the fairest one in all the land!"_ Anakin can hear the shrill mincing of his mental Xanatos caricature.

"How honest of you." Anakin says it as dryly sarcastic as Obi-Wan. Xanatos pouts, the perfect portrait of a hurt pretty boy.

"I—" Xanatos begins, but Qui-Gon strides inside the room. Anakin sighs, wishing for those impossible locks.

"Xanatos, leave Anakin alone." Xanatos glowers at his former Master. Anakin shakes his head. _Great, they're going to argue!_ When Xanatos and Qui-Gon argue, it can take days before they leave the room they're arguing in. They don't leave because they get hungry or thirsty, which they don't have in the Force, but because they finally run out of the words to argue with.

"How about you two—" And then Sifo-Dyas silently stalks after Qui-Gon. Anakin wants to face-palm again. _All I want is to watch my grandson in peace, is that so much to ask?_

"Oh, Force, it's granddaddy's Frankenstein!" Xanatos cattily remarks as he sees Sifo-Dyas. Sifo-Dyas does not yell at him like Anakin would do, scold him like Qui-Gon would do, but chooses an option that only someone intimately acquainted with Dooku would do. He corrects him.

"First, Frankenstein is the last name of Victor Frankenstein, but you were using the misnomer for Frankenstein's _monster_. Second, if you were referring to me as Victor Frankenstein, you are wrong and it would be more accurate to refer to Dooku as him. Third, if you were referring to me as Frankenstein's _monster_ , you are wrong and it would be more accurate to refer to Grievous as him; although, my blood was used for him, so you'd be partially wrong. Finally, I would be Elizabeth Lavenza, all things considered." Anakin's aggravation melts when he sees Xanatos's pale face turn furiously red, while Qui-Gon barely smothers his snort. _Oh Force, how I would've loved to know this man when he was alive!_ Anakin quickly moves to turn on his holoprojector that he uses to watch his grandson and sometimes Luke and Leia.

He sees his grandson in his Jedi Initiate outfit under one of the piss-yellow feet of the Battle Hydra that he is mind-controlling. Anakin face-palms and sighs like Ben Kenobi. _Oh Force, he really is going through with this deception! Playing the damsel-in-distress needing to be rescued by a white knight from a wicked dragon! Why can't he just build him a droid and give it to him? It worked with Padmé. Then again, he's more for fashion and cooking. And manipulation. Hmm, maybe he should become a politician—_

 ** _BANG!_**

Anakin nearly jumps when hears that sound coming from the holoprojector. He sees a large metal door opened, most likely the source of the sound. Ben's Padmé-brown eyes light up as he sees his "white knight" step into view. His grandson's white knight is dressed all in black. And has some oddly-shaped bag strapped to his skeletal back.

"Oh Force, he's a ginger! That boy is fucked!" Xanatos throws up his hands dramatically. Anakin was expecting this Armitage Hux to look like Padmé; instead, he is vaguely reminded of Senator Palpatine. The boy, probably no more than twelve if his height and lack of weight is anything to go by, has short, almost spikey red hair and pale skin with watery-blue eyes. He's even got Palpatine's fierce determination.

 _"_ _Through dangers untold. And hardships unnumbered. I have fought my way here to the castle, beyond the Goblin City, to take back the child that you have stolen."_ Armitage's reedy voice practically roars in Anakin's room.

"Goblin City? What the pfassk is he going on about?" Xanatos looks with his mouth open and one brow raised like he's equal parts confused and annoyed. Qui-Gon shushes him with a single finger to his mouth and grins.

 _"_ _My will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as great..."_ _So is he being metaphorical about his kingdom? Or is it like an analogy? Or does he literally have a kingdom? Nah, I don't think he would be in the Discount Empire if that was the case._ Anakin watches in rapt attention alongside with the rest of the invasive Force Ghosts as the little ginger boy continues.

 _"_ _You have no power over me!"_ The boy gives such a confident roar at the end of that; Anakin almost confuses him for a dragon. It is then that Anakin expects the boy to whip out a weapon and kill the Battle Hydra, or call forth a dragon to fight it. Instead, the boy stands stock still like he's waiting for something to happen. Just like Ben.

 _"_ _Is that it?"_

* * *

"Is that it?" Armitage hears Prince Amidala's unimpressed question. Armitage looks at the Battle Hydra, still looking unfocused and almost dazed, and then to the captive prince. _Well…..shit! I was really hoping that it would work. I mean it defeated that reality-warping Goblin King, but I guess a dragon is immune to…a spell from a fictional movie. Well, onto plan B._

"It looks like I'll have to defeat this thing with the power of music!" Armitage reaches over his back and pulls off his electric-guitar case with wireless amplifier holder. He sets the case down on the ground and quickly unlatches it to bring out his cherry-red electric guitar and amplifier. He looks into Prince Amidala's eyes, and he sees a small smile on the prince's face.

 _"_ _It looks like I'll have to defeat this thing with the power of music!"_ And Anakin swears that the Force has never been quieter. It's like all of the Force signatures have disappeared. _No, that's not it. I think I just blacked out for a bit from just how ballsy Armitage is!_ Anakin feels his mouth curl into a feral grin.

"Oh. My. Force. He's a fucking idiot!" Xanatos groans and face-palms. _Yup, he's the One for my grandson!_ Anakin happily accepts.

"….Well, it's not impossible to tame an animal through music, right, Qui-Gon?" Sifo-Dyas asks in a way that conveys he knows the answer but has trouble remembering all of the details. Qui-Gon puts a weathered hand on his chin and strokes his beard thoughtfully.

"No, it isn't. Dooku and I did that once, used Rhapsody and that did the trick." Qui-Gon answers with a cheeky, Obi-Wan-like grin on his aged face.

"So what animal did you tame?" Anakin asks. Sifo-Dyas and Qui-Gon share conspiring smiles.

"The wiliest one of all. A politician." Xanatos gives Qui-Gon a thumbs-down for his joking truth. Sifo-Dyas rolls his earth-brown eyes at Xanatos's childishness. It is then that Armitage begins strumming his guitar with his thin, spidery fingers.

"Oh, he's good, but it's missing something. Drums, perhaps?" Xanatos half-praises and half-criticizes. Anakin's grin widens. _He can play the electric guitar! Ben's probably fallen harder for his supremely underweight ginger. If only he can sing, then Ben would probably get into his pants when he's old—_

 _"_ _This is why events unnerve me._

 _They find it all, a different story._

 _Notice whom for wheels are turning,_

 _Turn again and turn towards this time._

 _All she asks is the strength to hold me,_

 _Then again the same old story._

 _Word will travel oh so quickly,_

 _Travel first and lean towards this time."_

And the Force goes silent once more.

* * *

 _"_ _I'll break them all, no mercy shown!_

 _Heaven knows, it's got to be this time!_

 _Watching her, these things she said,_

 _The times she cried,_

 _Too frail to wake this time…"_

Ben watches as Hux's thin lips close and open to let out his angelic voice. He never thought that his Wistie can sing, but he's so delighted to find out! And his Wistie is so creative, trying to soothe a savage beast with music! Ben is only slightly disappointed that he won't see his Wistie slashing the reptile's throat with his sword, but _this_ is so much better!

He squirms under the Battle Hydra's foot as his Wistie goes into a 40-second guitar solo. _I wonder if he'll be able to sing this good when he's older. Say about in his twenties? I bet his voice will evolve along with his body. Yes, I can see him getting taller, but not as tall as I'll be, and growing out his hair. His hair will caress my arms as I go to kiss him! Force, I hope I hit puberty soon!_

 _"_ _I'll take them down, no mercy shown!_

 _Heaven knows, it's got to be this time!_

 _Avenues all lined with trees,_

 _Picture me and then you start watching,_

 _Watching forever."_

Ben could watch him forever. He can watch his Wistie serenade him with his holy voice. He can watch his Wistie pluck his sinfully red guitar with his nimble, little fingers. He sees this as good practice for the future he has planned for them. _Long, pale fingers creating bloodied crescents on his firm back as his voice goes higher and higher. "Mine, all mine!" "Yours, all yours!"_

 _"_ _Forever,_

 _Watching love grow._

 _Forever,_

 _Let it be known._

 _Forever."_

A minute and thirty-five seconds later, his Wistie finishes. And Ben lets the dragon go.

Armitage feels his face practically break from the large smile on his face. His cheeks flush in excitement and his eyes sparkle green. The Battle Hydra is turning into a yellow-yolk speck in the horizon. _I did it! I DID IT! I AM THE DRAGON LORD!_ Armitage nearly screams out. He sees Ben slowly rising from his captive spot with a huge smile on his face. Armitage runs over to him and immediately begins probing him for injuries.

"I'm alright, I'm alright. But you….you were magnificent!" Armitage has to stop himself from swooning. _He's so eloquent! And he's only like…ten? Eleven? I don't know. Either way, he's so naturally smooth! He'd make a great politician! Oh, wait, he's training to be a Jedi. So I guess a Jedi Consular? Jedi Ambassador? Jedi Diplomat? Wait, is there a difference between an Ambassador and a Diplomat? They're basically politicians without being called politicians, right?_

"Um, t-thank you!" Armitage feels himself blush harder. _Come on, Armitage, you're able to belt out a speech without a wink of sleep for class. Don't stammer in front of the Prince!_ Armitage scolds himself. But that scolding is soon forgotten by the Prince's lyrical laugh.

"No need to be modest. You're my hero!" Armitage wonders if it's possible to pass out from blushing too much. _From the Prince's mouth, it sounds so sincere! Unlike Jaina's, where she's just trying to make me forget about her latest stunt. Woah, I'm kind of like a knight since I saved a prince and all. No, I did that with music, not with a sword. So…I'm like his bard? I think that's like some kind of wizard in those roleplaying games. It doesn't matter; I'm someone's hero! Me!_

"I don't need praise…..I was just doing my duty." _What the kriff was that? What duty? You're not a real knight! Or a fellow Initiate! You're part of the First Order; if anything, your duty is to eliminate the Skywalker lineage! But I'm not really part of the First Order…_ Armitage has never felt bound to the Order like his classmates. He wasn't raised in the starships during the early years of the First Order. He was shipped off to be raised on Den Siva's ship. He might one day hold a prominent rank in the Order, but he's just a child right now. A very lonely child.

"And you have done it well. You deserve a feast!" He then feels the Prince latch onto his right arm and begin to drag him to the door.

"Huh! I h-have to get back to the Academy, and don't you have to back to your Jedi Master?" Armitage asks, hoping to keep the Prince out of trouble. The Prince gives him a close-eyed smile.

"They can wait. You deserve a reward, and a feast is the least I can give you!" And with that, Armitage decides to give up and just let himself be rewarded. _Besides, it's just going to be one unexcused absence. It's not like I'll make a habit of this!_

* * *

"…At least, he's feeding him." Anakin is slightly taken aback by Xanatos's approval of his grandson. Well, in this action. Although, Xanatos looks a bit green like he wants to vomit for his momentary kindness.

"Yes, my grandson is perfect for him!" Anakin says with a wide grin, while Xanatos narrows his eyes and shakes his head slowly. Qui-Gon and Sifo-Dyas exchange questioning looks before just shrugging their shoulders. Neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the Chosen One.

"Oh, Force, this is so kriffing creepy! How do you, the King of the Creepiest One-Liner of All Time, not see that!? Your grandson fucking mind-controlled, MIND-CONTROLLED, a Battle Hydra, happily willing to let it die, so he can bind that little ginger bastard a little tighter to him! HOLY SHIT, RUN, ARMITAGE, RUN; YOU'RE GOING TO GET WILL GRAHAM-ED!" Xanatos shouts at the holoprojection of Armitage Hux who is innocently eating his green tea omelet. Anakin rolls his baby-blue eyes at Xanatos's melodramatics.

"Ben is trying to make his friend feel better about himself and feed him since he's probably not getting any of that at the Academy. And Ben let the Battle Hydra go!" Anakin counters, while Xanatos shoots him a look of utter disgust.

"Correction: because of Armitage singing into your grandson's prepubescent pants is why Ben let the Battle Hydra go." Xanatos sneers. Anakin glares at him like a Greater Krayt Dragon. Sifo-Dyas and Qui-Gon sigh together and prepare themselves for the _Anakin and Xanatos Pissing Contest_.

Meanwhile, Dooku is still wholeheartedly absorbed in his novel and still not giving two fucks.

* * *

 **Author's Comments:** Here are the links-

This is the image of the Battle Hydra that Ben mind-controlled so he can have Hux rescue him: a href=" . /starwars/images/1/19/Battle_hydra_ /revision/latest?cb=20090601234105"Link/a

This is an image of the _Vanya_ -class Jedi courier. It's the sleek black one in the middle of the convoy of Jedi ships; it's Old Republic era. And by Old Republic, I mean Old, Old Republic like era of Sith Lord Exar Kun: a href=" . /revision/latest?cb=20081205052005"Link/a

This is an image of the Temple of the Blueleaf Cluster where the Battle Hydra has Ben "captive" on top of the circular temple roof: a href=" . /revision/latest?cb=20151201055152"Link/a

Hux's cherry-red electric guitar that is lovingly stolen from David Bowie: a href=" /guitarcosmos/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/david_bowie_ziggy_ "Link/a

This is the song in which Armitage plays to "tame" the Battle Hydra. However, I got the lyrics from the New Order version because I could hardly understand what Ian Curtis was singing about. Hux's singing voice is nowhere near the level of Ian Curtis or David Bowie, but Ben doesn't know that. He's just enraptured with his Wistie: a href=" watch?v=LaiOgToofBo"Link/a

This is an image of Sifo-Dyas. For those of you who don't know, Sifo-Dyas was the one who commissioned the clone army, through being tricked by Darth Plagueis, in hopes to save the Order. Ironically, he aided in its fall. Also, in Legends/Expanded Universe, turns out Dooku had his old friend murdered, through the Pykes shooting down Sifo-Dyas's shuttle, and then preserved his dear old friend in a cryogenic hibernation capsule as shown in the comic, _Eyes of Revolution_ : a href=" /holonet/dictionnaire/photos/perso_ "Link/a

This is an image of Xanatos du Crion. For those of you who have never heard of him, he was Qui-Gon Jinn's second apprentice in the Legends/EU who eventually Fell and became a Dark Jedi. He later took on Bruck Chun, who pretty much bullied a young Obi-Wan Kenobi in Legends, to be his apprentice and who died in a duel with Obi-Wan. Xanatos died via acid bath: a href=" . /starwars/images/8/8c/Xanatos_ /revision/latest?cb=20121207000141"Link/a

Yup, I finally wrote a sequel to one of my longest stories ever. With 25% more manipulative Ben Solo and a 100% more Force Ghost shenanigans. Did I do any of the Force Ghosts justice? Probably not. However, the most important thing is that the Battle Hydra did not die. And Ben Solo is going to continue in binding Armitage Hux closer to him, with Armitage being none the wiser. Hmm, that sounds really familiar…


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